I will share some wisdom I've gathered over my years of simplifying. With this comes much humor. Enjoy!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Change of Season

This past weekend I was at my cottage in northern Wisconsin. I could hardly believe it when I saw a few trees changing colors. Sometimes in Madison I feel like we live down in the deep south. I know that I'm exaggerating. The temperatures are different from what we had been used to in Appleton. It's always a little hotter and a bit more humid. This makes sense, I guess. We are an hour and a half south of Appleton and in a different weather pattern. And the same goes for the trip from Appleton to the cottage. Another hour and a half north and again it's different.

Hence the color change in the trees. I get this meteorology. I really do, but still, from the time I leave my house and get to my cottage, hopefully three hours later, I've passed through three different kinds of weather. Not always, but it does happen. I will be 45 shortly and I know these changes in season and weather happen every year at approximately the same time. And do you know what? I need it. I need a change in weather to remind me that I'm not in a slump. I need to have a change in season to get motivated to spring clean. I need relief from the heat. In the winter I crave the warm after the extreme cold. It gives us something to look forward to. Herein lies a little danger. We need to appreciate the time we are in. The season we are in. Try hard to live in the moment. Don't spend so much time planning for tomorrow, or next week, or retirement, that you forget to live for today. Even if today is crazy busy and you can't wait for it to end.

I love the changes in season. It gives me an excuse to purge my house. Not that I need one. A new season gives me holidays to enjoy with friends and family. A new season gives me an excuse to hibernate and read. New seasons always can be counted on. My favorite season is on it's way and I can't wait to smell the leaves, enjoy the colors and make lots of soup. I'm getting ahead of myself. Tonight I will grill burgers and enjoy my time on the deck with family and friends.